Benjamin f



B. P. ROUNDS.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

Patented May l l, 1889.

N. PETERS, FhulD-Lilbvgnphar, Wmhi mmmmmm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. ROUNDS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES P. BIRD, OF SAME PLACE.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,142, dated May 14, 1889. Application filed January 3, 1889. Serial No. 295,350. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. ROUNDS, of Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention is an improvement upon IO Patent No. 344,154, granted to D. XV. Bartlett,

June 22, 1886.

Heretofore in constructing artificial feet the elastic cord used to bring the parts of the foot into their normal positions has usually been carried under the heel and attached to the sole or under side of the foot-piece proper.

This necessitated a sharp bend in the cord,

causing a great deal of friction on account of the enormous strain, and the cord soon broke or became useless, thus being a source of expense and annoyance to the user. The ankle- ;joints, also, of the feet now made are very large, and therefore liable to work loose, damaging, if not completely impairing, the use of the other parts.

The object of my invention is to remedy the evils before mentioned, and provide an artificial foot that closely simulates the action of the human foot, and is cheap and durable.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a foot embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the ankle-joint and elastic cord connected, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hinge or joint proper detached.

In order to carry my improvement into effect I use an artificial foot, A, composed of the leg and foot pieces N N, the leg-piece N being somewhat reduced at its lower end and provided with a semicircular groove, in which is secured the hollow cylinder D, by means of the parallel vertical rods or bolts F F and the nuts e, or any suitable means. The rods F F pass entirely through the cylinder D, upward through the leg portion, greatly strengthening the cylinder, and by means of which it is 50 enabled to support a much greater pressure.

Upon the outer surface of the cylinder, at about its middle point, I form an annular groove, 70, which is adapted to receive the semicircularly-hooked end of the rod or bolt E, said rod serving to connect the upper and lower portions, N N. The rod or bolt E passes obliquely downward through the footpiece N, and a plate or strap, 0, and is rigidly secured to the same by the nut h, or other means. The plate or strap 0 rests in a groove formed in the bottom or sole of the foot-piece and is secured to said foot-piece by the rod E and screw Z, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The rear end of the strap 0 is provided with hook c, which passes through the loop 0', formed on the lower end of the elastic cord B, said cord passing up through the limb portion and terminating in a similar loop, 0'', through which passes the pin a, resting in the grooved or hollowed part a: of the limb portion N. By the arrangement of the plate 0 and cord B, as shown and described, it is seen that the entire elastic cord is above the heel, the part usually turned under being substituted by the metallic strap or plate 0, and the vast amount of friction which occurred at the bend is done away with, thus greatly increasing the durability of the cord.

To prevent all crevices and possible openings which would tend to decrease the operativeness of the device, I surround the anklejoint with a suitable packing or cushion, f, of rubber or other suitable material.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire-to secure by Letters Patent, is

The artificial leg consisting of the articulated leg and foot sections, the metallic plate having an upwardly-projecting hook at its outer end, said plate being disposed in a longitudinal recess in the under side of the footsection, the oblique rod loosely connected at its upper end to the leg-section and passed through said foot-section in an inclined direction and secured to said hooked plate, and made adjustable, and the cord secured at its upper end to the leg-section and passed down in a substantially straight line and looped 'IOO upon the hook of said metallic plate, substantially as set forth. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. ROUNDS. 

